The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-02-05
TARIFF POLICY OF THE new SOUTH.

TARIFF POLICY OF THE NEW SOUTH.
1t is significant fact that wherever
material prosperity and progress apt
pear In the South, there the people be-
come advocates Of protective policy.
This Is a marked and decided change
from the sentiments that prevailed be-
fore the war. John Randolph, of
Roanoke, and John G. Calhoun we've
the great typical ante. belium Southern
Statesmen and thinkers. Randolph
was 80 Impressed by the great ado
vantages which mauuiacturs gave TO
the North that he swore he would
never wear or buy any article manu>
factured north of Mason and Dlxon's
line. But Calhoun, q more dipassion~
ate observer and profounder losician,
declared that the South, owing to the
exigencIts OF slavery, could never be-
come manufacturing country, and
hence could never enjoy any of the
benefits Of protective system. He
taught that the true policy of the
slave-holdIng South was to discourage
aud prevent the establishment of en-
terprises which would Introduce ele.
ments Of discord among our iaborers,
and he was perfectly willing that the
North should do ali the manufacturing,
provided they did it. without protec
ton. Inspired by such teachings, the
South espoused and unfortunately prac>
ticed the policy Of. Free. Trade which
had it's natural aud triumphant Gull
mination in the constitution of the
Confederacy which allowed the levy
ing of export duties. To "this conn.,
plexion" Free Trade comes at last
Already they are advocating direct
taxation In defiance Of the teachings Of
the Fathers of our Constitution. Let
Free Trade triumph, and.they would
arst introduce England's beautiful
system OF taxing window lights and
every other comfort and convenience
for the purpose, Of paying Federal
debts and expenses, and their next step
in degradation would be to substitute
export for import duties.
But the. close OF the war entirely
changed the position Of the South with
regard to manufactures, and, as nee
essary consequence, her tariff policy
has changed. The institution OF sla,
very passed away aud we were rudely
awakened to sense of shame at our
neglect Of manufacturing. Reason
suggested and experience soon demon
strated that no country on earth sur
passed the South In adaptability to all
kinds of manufacturing, and soon the
sounding forge and hammer and the
whizziug wheel began to sings. "new
song" In our Southland. And az we
said In the beginning, In the effulgent
light of Progress, we experienced a
great conversion on the Tariff ques.
ton.
We think that 1t stands to reason
and common sense that the peculiar
situation and interests of any country
determines and should determine its
tariff policy. Abstract theorists pre-.
tend that the same policy should be
pursued by all nations. But this Is
obviously absurd as long as the milo
lennium Is thing OF the future. Rich
ard Golden advocated Free Trade for
England because of her sslnsular posi-
tion," her need of foreign productions
and her manufacturing superiority to
the whole world. Golden, himself,
was manufacturer and found his
first inspiration in the needs of his own
lucrative business. He worked for the
manufacturers of Great Britain and
they recognized the fact by giving him
100000 when he had won their
fight.
On like principles II behooves the
South, and particularly Louisiana, to
determine her tariff policy by her own
interests. Those interests, as everys
body will admit, demand the encour-
agement of manufacturing enterprises.
The factories of the North may be